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Wednesday, 23 May 2012

Social media is really just about human beings. Sharing ideas, cooperating, debating, forming new acquaintances and thereby broadening our social network, and so on.

At present, there are basically six kinds of social media:

Social network (like Facebook, Bebo, and MySpace),

Blogs (for example, online journals, or WordPress blogs),

Wikis (like Wikipedia – an online free encyclopedia),

Podcasts (audio and video files that are available by subscription, through services like Apple and iTunes),

Forums, and

Content Communities (communities which organise and share particular kinds of content. The most popular tend to form around photos (flickr), bookmarked links (del.icio.us) and videos (Youtube)).

Muovo would like to share some facts and information with regard to the advent of social networking, and its role in the recruiting process.

Indeed, a 2007 survey conducted by ExecuNet found that 77% of potential employers use search engines to learn more about candidates for jobs and of those, 35% have eliminated a candidate from consideration based on the information uncovered online.

So what can you do?

Do a Google search online for yourself. In fact it is worth entering your own name into search engines from time to time to ensure you remain informed about the personal and professional information that exists on the Internet.

Provocative images, antisocial activities and potentially confidential information from a previous employer are all things that could affect your chances of securing your next role.

Make sure your screen names or online IDs don’t have negative or overly frivolous connotations. “ditzygirl23” isn’t going to endear you to any serious employer!

Carefully consider groups you join on networking sites. These generally link you to other people with similar hobbies and interests so being a member of “How stoned are you?” is likely to put off an employer looking for a mature and dependable candidate.

Ensure that you don’t mention anything negative about past and current employment situations . Negative posts online about your boss, supervisor or colleagues will do you more harm than good!

Check your online privacy settings! Make sure that only friends can view those fun photos and videos online. You certainly don’t want any potential employers being able to view anything that might be negatively construed.

Honesty counts when crafting your CV. If the academic achievements, company information and Awards differ from any information an employer might find online, your credibility will go straight out of the window.

Check the information you are allowing a company to use when you agree to social networking site’s privacy policies. You are often giving the site permission to collect information about you from their site as well as permission to use the information they gather from other sites.

Carefully choose the social media sites you are using to post blogs, Twitter and any viral marketing activity you may be conducting. Ensure your key messages align with your professionalism and integrity at all times.

Social Media is a powerful tool and if used wisely will assist you in maximising your reach to the job market.

Nearly all employers use it to find information about you, as their potential employee, before the first meeting has even taken place.

The first impressions that are being formed from your online profile can seep their way through and affect negatively your interview. So, be on your guard!

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comments:

Using the guidelines above, job applicants can make sure that their social media accounts are going to work for them (and not against them), by increasing their chances of getting hired. The most important reminder here is to use your accounts purposefully. You should watch your info, blog posts, status updates, and comments because this will definitely impact how your potential employer will view your personality. Be responsible if you don’t want to look like a liability to the company.